Friday, January 15, 2016

Those that do better on a memory-testing imitation sorting task during toddlerhood are more likely to perform better in school

New research shows that preschoolers who score lower on a memory task
are likely to score higher on a dropout risk scale at the age of 12.

"Identifying students who are at risk of eventually dropping out of
high school is an important step in preventing this social problem,"
says Caroline Fitzpatrick, first author of a study recently published in
Intelligence, and a researcher at Concordia's PERFORM Centre.

She and the study's other researchers, who are affiliated with the
Université Sainte-Anne and Université de Montréal, have suggestions for
how parents can help kids improve their memory.

The study examines responses from 1,824 children at age two and a
half, and then at three and a half. That data is then compared to the
school-related attitudes and results of these children when they hit
grade seven.

Results were clear: those that do better on a memory-testing
imitation sorting task during toddlerhood are more likely to perform
better in school later on -- and therefore more likely to stay in
school. The imitation sorting task is specifically effective in
measuring working memory, which can be compared to a childs mental
workspace.

"Our results suggest that early individual differences in working
memory may contribute to developmental risk for high school dropout, as
calculated from student engagement in school, grade point average and
whether or not they previously repeated a year in school," says
Fitzpatrick.

"When taken together, those factors can identify which 12 year olds
are likely to fail to complete high school by the age of 21."

Help at home

"Preschoolers can engage in pretend play with other children to help
them practise their working memory, since this activity involves
remembering their own roles and the roles of others," says Linda Pagani
of the Université de Montréal, co-senior author.

"Encouraging mindfulness in children by helping them focus on their
moment-to-moment experiences also has a positive effect on working
memory."

Pagani also notes that breathing exercises and guided meditation can
be practised with preschool and elementary school children. In older
kids, vigorous aerobic activity such as soccer, basketball and jumping
rope have all been shown to have beneficial effects on concentration and
recall.

The researchers note that another promising strategy for improving
working memory in children is to limit screen time -- video games,
smartphones, tablets and television -- which can undermine cognitive
control and take time away from more enriching pursuits.

"Our findings underscore the importance of early intervention," says Fitzpatick.

"Parents can help their children develop strong working memory skills
at home, and this can have a positive impact on school performance
later in life."